Feeding and spacing mechanism for cutting-machines.



D. I. WADHAMS.

FEEDING AND SPACING MECHANISM FOR CUTTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-20. I916.

Patented Ju1y30,1918.

5 vwewtoz flan/1s 7454561116 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFIOE.

nuuus r. WAIDHAMS, or oswneo, new roan, ASSIGNOR ro NIEL (may, ne e J OSWEGO, NEW YORK. 7 v rnnnme am) SPACING MECHANISM ron CUTTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 20, 1916. Serial N 0. 73,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARIUS T. WADHAMS, a citizen of ,the'United States; residing at Oswego, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented new and useful.

the cutting up of the stock into small pieces. 1 To this end it comprises means associated with the usual back gage and operative to advance the gage with successive, accurately measured feed movements so that the Work is uniformly advanced to the cutting knife.

As is well understood, mechanism for the described purpose has a utility of great value in the cutting up of large sheets upon which labels'or other similar small matter is printed and is to be severed. It is of'particular value in the commercial type of cutting machines employed in the cutting of cloth samples as are largely distributed'by cloth houses. Ineither'instance the material 7 to be cut up ordinarily comes in sheets of.

considerable length and width and is tobe cut into small pieces of but a few inches in dimension. This work therefore requires a progressive feeding forward; a few inches for each cut, of long length of material and this is very easily effected by the mechanism of my invention.

Particular features of my invention consist in an improved construction and ,ar-

rangement of spacing mechanism adapted to.

operate in connection with means for manually advancing the gage in a manner to permit of independently advancing the gage as desired; in providing for adjusting of the stops of the spacing device to fixed relations for measuring the advance of the gage for both lengths and widths and further of an improved arrangement for conveniently disconnecting the spacing device to permit of manually moving the gage independently thereof and to permit of this being efiected without. requiring the manipulation of additional parts.

An improved'embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein the reference characters of this description are applied to the corresponding parts the se e al v e s Th r in Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View showing my improved mechanism applied to a standard type of cutting machine; Fig. 2 is a partial plan view showing the spacing mechanism; Fig. 3 is a 'similar'view showing the parts in released position; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the removable stop andFig. 5.is a partial detail view. of the clutch roller arrangement. In the embodiment of my invention here shown 1 indicates thestandard of a cutting machine supporting the usual cutting table 2 upon which the stock'to be cut is placed so as to be severed by the knife 3. This knife operates in a verticalplane during the cutting stroke desirably, so as to produce a shear stroke and, as in the usual way, maycut into the cutting stick 4 or,'if desired,the stock to be cut may be placed upon one or more cutting boards positioned on the table to slide thereon and the knife adjusted to cut into these boards. knife the usual back gage 5 is slidably mounted on the table and provided onits under surfacewith a guide-lug fitted to the usual guide-slot in the rear of the table.

In the present instance, to the under sur-. face of the gage there is attached a lug menibgr provided with lugs 6-'6 for. attaching thereto the ends of an operating chain 7.

' The chain 7 is carried by suitablyjournaled front and rear sprockets of which the frontsprocket S is here shown journaled indirectly upon a bearing stud 10 secured to a 1 bracket 11 attached to the under side of the table at the front of the machine. The rear sprocket 12 is shown secured to a collar 13 and journaledon arearj bearing stud 14 at theextreme rear of the table.

The front sprocket 8 is' here shown fixed upon the hub or hearing collar 16 of a hand wheel 18 whereby upon rotation of the hand wheel member theback gage will be moved forward or back. This movement. of the gage may be effected in'both directions by manual operation of the .handwheel 18 and Patented July 30, 1918.

To the "rear of the I inaddition thereto means are provided. for

advancing the gage with measured feed movements as-now to be described.

Desirably my improved spacing deviceis' arranged to operate through or upon-the hand wheel member for advancing the. gage.

Accordingly it is here so shown and comprises an annular disk 20 fixed on the hub 16 a P o ided n its p r ph a s r ace with a hardened steel ring 21 which may be shrunk thereon. Suitably journaled with relationto this-di'sltQO is an operating or spacing lever 25, this lever being here shown spacing lever to act upon the roller to hold it in binding engagement between the ring and plate. 'Thus uponmov1ng the sp acing lever in one directionthis clutch roller 30 will bind Y and couple the handle-member thereto to communicate the motion to the gagea Uponthe reversemovement of'the' spacing leverthe roller will ride freely in the larger end of the'groeveformed between-theplate and the ring therebypermitt'ing of return movement of the spacing lever independently of the connections.

Associated withthe'spa'cing lever I have arranged a stop ring 35'loosely' mounted upon-the"bearing'hub 26' of the spacing lever. This stop ring is adapted to be cla-inped to the spacing-lever 25 when it is desired to adjust *the moiemenb imparted thereby to the gage. For this purpose a clamping clip 86 is carried on the lever and adapted to engage the stop'ring and to rig idly clamp the ring to the lever upon the tightening of the pinch screw 37. --Upon the'top-surface of this clamping ring I have arranged a suitable stop 40 which shown is desirably removably fitted to a pin 41.

To coac't therewith there are arranged stationary stop pins 4344 here shown secured to the bracket 11. 2 and'-8,the pin 43 is arranged slightly tarther awavfrom' the center of the hand wheel member than the stop pin l l. It is designed I that theremovable stop 40 shall coact with the pin e4: for determining the extent of movement imparted to the gage by the spacing lever during-one spacing operation; the

extent of movement being'liniited by the engagement 'of the stop 10 with the pin T he'initial or return stop folthe spacing lever 1sprovided by the engagement ot a pin 4E5 onthe spacing lever with theopposite side-of the-stop'pin 44-; This pin'eeis arranged on the opposite side of'the clutch roller 30 from thespring 32-and is loosely fitted to: an'aperture in the lever and *1s adapted to engage thestop pin 44 to limit the return stroke of the spacing; lever and to determine 'itsinitial' position. Upon so engaging the pin 45 will 'begiven a slight movement to'--*release' the clutch "roller 1 from i As best 'shown' in Figs.

binding engagement between the ring 21 and plate 31. I

A second or alternative movable step'48 is here shown and is adapted to cooperate with the stop pin l?- This stop 48, as best shown in Fig. 1 hooksover the stop ring 85 and is clamped thereto in any desired position by means of the screw and tapered nut' 51 threaded thereto so that upon turning the screw the tapered nut will cause binding ofthe step =upon-theringi-' This stop, as shown'pis provided witlr'an engaging screw 58"threaded 'therein, the screw having; a knurled thumb flange 5 r-and being provided with a lmurled'loclriug nut toenable the operator to obtain a very fine adjustment of the stop with relation tothe co-acting stationary stop 'pinu To set the described spacing devices for any particular spaci-ng, the spacing lever'is moved around to its extreme return 'positiom' until'thd-pin L5 strikes'the stop l l and'the clutclr=roller is releasedr This establishes the initial position. Upon loosening); the clampingclip 36 the stop ring is disengaged from thespacing lever and maybe turned for adjusting'the relation of the stop 40 thcreon'to its coactiugstationary pin' la. Tl1lS'-Cti1"l)6(l011( by the operator holding this stop 4:0 in contact with its coacting pm et l and moving the spacing lever in the As soon direction for advancing the as the pin LS leaves the pin 44 the clutch roller Will couple thespacing lever to the gage connections and thereafter upon further movement the gage'will' be advanced. By observing the'extent 'of the movement then imparted to-the gage; by the assistance of the-usual indicator connected with the gage; the operator, when he has advanced the back gage 5 the required distance may then look the stop ring 35 to the spacingle'ver by tightening screw 37; The subse' quent movement of the spacing lever will be confined-'-bet.veen the stops thus relatively positioned and'upon' operating the lever the gage will beadvanced with successive feed movements of the length thus determinedp the spacing'lever being free from coupling engagement on the return stroke when the clutch rolleris released and when moved in the other oroperating direction the clutch roller will bind and its motion will be transn'iitted to the gage through the chain connection.

A somewhat similar method is employed iir setting the desired relationship of themovable stop lS'to the coacting' pin 43 for governingthe alternative feed movement to be given to the gage. In the latter instance the stop instead of the ringr' is loosened and it is held against'the coact-i: -"piir and distance desired. It will be understood that one :adjiiistn'ient is employed for widths and" the other for lengths.' In the present instance the stop 48 is employed for the longer when the spacing lever is shifted to one extreme position, 2'. c. with the pin engaging the stop 44, that the operating connections to the gage will be released from the spacing device so that any desired adjustments of the-gage may be made by rotating the hand wheel 18. A further important feature is desirably associated with this arrangement consisting of means for normally retaining the parts in said released relation but to permit of the use of the spacing mechanism without necessitating the removal or special manipulations of parts. 'I therefore provide a yielding holding pin arranged in a suitable bearing. in the spacing lever and provided with a beveled inner end positioned to engage the stop pin 44 whenever the lever is pushedback to initial position; the pin then engaging behind'sa'id pin so as normally to retain it in this position. The holding pin 60 is spring pressed by a spring 61' fitted within the socket 62 of the spacing lever and confined behind the head of the pin. The beveled end surfaces of the pin permit it to yield, against the infiucnce of the spring, when thespace lever is operated whereby said space-lever is at all times operable. When a quantity of spacing is to be done it is desirable to render the holding pin 60 ineffective so I have Pros vided the pin 60 with a cross-pin 64Jnormally positioned within aslot 65' and adapted to rest against a shoulder (36 when the pin is withdrawn and given a partial turn, as shown in Fig. .3. In this position the holding pin 61 clears the stop-pin 44.

The spacing lever is arranged to be under the table as shown to be out of the'way in its normal position when disengaged. Beneath the hand-wheel'18 is shown the. usual clamping lever. 68 which serves to lock the wheel when moved in one position for rig idly locking the gage; v

l/Vhile I have shown and described a desirable embodiment of my invention it will be understood that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore intended that all matter contained herein shall be interpretedas illustrative'and not in a limitingsense.

Having described'my inventionI claim,

1. In a cutting-machine, the, combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, of work advancinglmechanism, an

actuating member therefor, a spacing lever suitably journaled, coupling means interposed between the spacing lever and the actuating member and adapted to couple said lever and member to move together in one direction and adapted to permit an independent return movement of the lever, stops suitably arranged to limit the movement of the spacing lever and said meansv being operative to release the spacing lever from coupling engagement when in initial position.

2. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the Work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, an actuating member therefor, a spacinglever suitably journaled, a coupling roller interposed between the spacing lever and the actuating member and adapted to couple said lever and member to: move together in one direction and adapted to'pcrmit 'an-in-. dependent return movement of the lever,

stops suitably arranged to limit the movement of the spacing lever and engaging means positioned to engage the roller so as to release the spacing lever from coupling engagement when in its initial position.

3. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, an actuating member therefor, a spacing lever .suitably'journaled, a coupling meansinterposed between. the spacing lever and the actuating member and adapted to couple said lever and member to move together'in one direction andto permit an independent .return movement of the lever, said coupling means being adapted to be released'when the lever is in its initial position and'means for retaining the lever in said initial position. 4. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frameand a table for the work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, a spacing lever suitably journaled, coupling means adapted to couple the lever and con-J nections to move together in one direction and adapted tov permit an independent return movement of the lever, stops suitably arranged to limit the movement of the spacing lever, and a yielding retaining means normally to retainthe lever in its initial release position substantially as described.

Ina cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, a hand actuated member therefor, a spacing lever suitably journaled, a coupling means interposed between the spacing lever and one direction and to ;permit :an independent return movement ofthe i lever, means to engage and release theacoupling member when ,the lever is in initial position, and a yielding catch element arranged-normally to retain said lever in initial position and adapted to be movedto an inoperative position when desired substantially as de* scribed.

6. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for vthe work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, an actuating member therefor, a spacingdever gsuitably journaled, coupling roller interposed between the spacing lever and the actuating member and adapted to couple said lever and inemberto move together in one direction and to permit an independent return movement in-the opposite direction, stops suitably arranged to limit the-uncovement of the spacing lever, said stops comprising fixed stops suitably supported and co-acting stopscarried by the spacing-lever, one of said stops being removable, and means operative automatically to release the clutch roller when in initial position substantially as described.

7. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, a back gagemovably supported on the table, operating connections to said; gage, an actuating member therefor, a spacing lever suitably journaled, coupling means interposed between the spacing lever andthe actuating member and adapted to couple said lever and member to/move together in one direction and to'permit anindependent return movement of the lever, means-to engage and release the coupling member when the lever is in its initial position and a yieldable'element carried bythe lever and adapted to retain said lever in its initial position substantially as described.

8. Ina cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, a back gage movaloly supported on the table, front and rear bearing studs sup- ,ported by the table, sprockets j ournaledv on the bearing studs, an operatingchaincarried by the sprockets and connected to the gage, a'hand wheel member journaledon the forward stud and connected to the forward sprocket, a spacing lever journaled onthe hand wheel member, a stop ring arranged concentric therewith and adjustable withrelation to the spacinglever, means for securing the stop ring to-the lever, a bearing disk on the hand wheel member, a coupling element interposed between the spacing lever and the bearing disk and adapted to couple said lever and disk to move together in one direction and to permit independent return movement of the lever in the opposite direction, stops carried on the stop ring, fixed stops arranged to coact therewith for-dc ranged normally to retain said lever in initial position, said catch element comprising ,a plunger fitted to a socket inthe lever arranged-to engage the fixed stop and aspring .termining the extent ;of each feed move- .ment and -means ;operative to release the ,clutch element when the lever is in initial position, substantially as described.

,9. In a cutting machine, the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, a

stop means adapted to coact with the movable :stops for det rmining the extent of movementimpaiftedto the connections sub- .stantially as described.

10. In a cutting machine,th e combination with the frame and a table for the work zthereon, .of work advancing mechanism, ,a hand actuated member therefor, a spacing lever suitably journaled, a coupling means interposed *between ,the spacing lever and .the actuatingmember, and adapted to couple said leverand member-to move together in oneid rectionandto permit an mdependent return movement ofthe lever, a fixed stop arranged to determine the initial position of-the lever and a yielding catch element aracting thereon substantially as described.

11. In 1a cutting ;machine, the combination withthe frame and atable for'the Work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, a

hand actuated member therefor, a spacing ,IBVQISUJtflblY ournaled, a couphngmeans interposed between the spacing lever and the actuating member and adapted to couple said levervand member to move togetherin one directionandft o permit an independent return movement of the lever, ,a stop to determine the initial position of the lever,

,meansarranged to engagethe stop and release the. coupling member when the lever is in initial position, and a yielding catch element arranged normally to retain said. lever in initial position and adapted to beimoved to an inoperativeposition when desired substantially as described.

12.;In a cutting machine, (the combination with the frame and a table for the work thereon, of work advancing mechanism, a spacing lever suitably journaled, coupling means adapted to couple the lever and. connections to move together in one direction and adapted to permit of an inde pendent return movement the spacing;

lever, a stop supporting member connected means adapted to coact With the movable to be movable with the lever and arranged stops for determining the extent of moveto be adjustable with relation thereto, a ment imparted to the connections substan- 1o stop detachably carried by the stop supporttially as described. 7 5 ing member and adjustable therewith and a -In testimony whereof I have signed my second stop thereon adapted to be adjustable name to this specification.

with relation to the support and fixed stop DARIUS T. WADHAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for .five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7

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